Around the world in 80 seconds

This archived article was written by: Jeremy Jones

Hey, sports fans! Here’s the skinny on the top stories in sports this week. If any of you have suggestions for this column, feel free to contact me.
Basketball: the United States are playing in the Olympic-qualifying tournament this weekend. They are 3-0 so far in the tournament with one game remaining in the first round. The United States most recently routed the Virgin Islands 113-55 despite the fact that Tim Duncan elected not to play against his native country (the Virgin Islands).
The tournament started Monday, Aug. 25 and will run until Sunday, the 31. Here is this year’s “Dream Team” roster: Ray Allen, Mike Bibby, Elton Brand, Vince Carter, Nick Collison, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Richard Jefferson, Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin*, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal.
*Former Utah Jazz star Karl Malone quit the team after his mother died just days before the tournament began. Kenyon Martin was selected as his replacement.
Baseball: twice in a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves, Barry Bonds ended the game with one swing of his bat. On Aug. 19, Bonds launched an extra-inning pitch over the fence in Pacific Bell Park to beat the Braves. Just two nights later, he did it again. In the bottom of the tenth inning in a 3-3 ball game, Braves pitcher Trey Hodges threw Bonds a pitch out over the plate and Bonds blasted it nearly into the Pacific Ocean. It was Bonds’ 100th-career home run at Pacific Bell Park.
Little League World Series: the series finished this past weekend. Kids from all over the United States and all over the world competed in baseball’s most prestigious tournament outside of the World Series. Over 40,000 people were estimated to attend the final game.
The final game featured youngsters from Florida against little leaguers from Tokyo, Japan. The team from Tokyo crushed the Floridians 10-1.
Racing: the Winston Cup schedule continued at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee this past weekend. Currently, the points leaders are: Matt Kenseth- 3432, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.-3103, Jeff Gordon-2971, Kevin Harvick-2953, and Michael Waltrip-2923.
Golf: while Davis Love III and Tiger Woods are tied for first on the total number of wins this season with four each, neither one of them is the leader on the total top-ten finishes for the 2003 season. Here are the top ten finishers: Jim Furyk-13, Kenny Perry-10, Vijay Singh-10, Chris DiMarco-9, Mike Weir-9, Tiger Woods-8, Jerry Kelly-8, six players tied-7.
Boxing: Oscar De La Hoya is scheduled to fight Shane Mosley on Sept. 13 despite injuring his hand back on Aug. 15 while training for the fight. De La Hoya will be in defense of his WBC and WBA super welterweight titles. De La Hoya’s doctors have confirmed that there is no swelling in the hand and that it is not broken. He has no plans of postponing the fight.
NFL: injuries have plagued many teams during the preseason this year, making many critics wonder if the pre-season is helping or hurting the NFL more. Some key injuries already are: Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons QB, broken fibula, out at least six weeks. Kevin Dyson, ex-University of Utah and now Tennessee Titans receiver, achilles, may miss entire season. Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants TE, fractured ribs, out indefinately. Chad Pennington, New York Jets QB, broken wrist, out indefinately. Brian Griese, Miami Dolphins QB, toe injury, out indefinately.
Track and Field: U.S. sprinter Jon Drummond was disqualified from the 100-meter event at the World Championships recently held in France. He was the second person to false start in the event, which disqualified him. After the ruling, Drummond laid down in his lane and refused to move until the ruling was changed. After several minutes and no changed ruling, he got up and bawled in the arms of his coach. This is another in a long line of embarassing incidences involving American track and field athletes.